by Abbey, S. C.
“Ready?” whispered Harvey.
Katie nodded in reply and took out her gun. They moved into the open facing the lane and Billy Coke was standing there with an incredulous look on his face caused by the sudden gatecrashers. In his hands was a packet of white powdery substance which he had exchanged for cash with the man that was standing to his left. Francis’ eyes widened in disbelief.
“Do not move, White. One twitch and I’ll pull the trigger on you.”
Chapter 31
SPECIAL AGENT DARROW tapped his keycard on the receiver and the glass door sprang free from its electromagnetic lock. He placed his left hand on it and leaned in to open fully the door. The lights in the main shared office area were off – it was late in the middle of the night, most of his colleagues had already left for home. He cradled the huge cup of oversweet Starbucks as threw his briefcase on his desk, and took a mouthful of it while sighing in content. It has been a long day. He needed the sugar. He extended his neck in the direction of his boss’s office, half expecting it to still be lit. He was right. The sigh of contentment had turned to one of unwilling acceptance as he picked up a folder and made his way to his boss’s office. He stopped short with his left hand around the door knob and released it. He tapped on the door with his knuckles instead. “Come in.”
Darrow entered Detective Frost’s office and turned to close the door behind him. He resumed his attention on Frost with Frost gazing down on him from behind his desk, sharp as a hawk, waiting for him to speak.
“You would not believe what I found.” Said Darrow.
“Surprise me.”
“Remember you asked me to look into Harvey Nolan’s office? When we were in the same office building? I managed to sneak in it, you were right, he never kept it locked.”
“Go on.” Frost said with his arms folded on his desk.
“I flipped through all his folders and emptied his drawers, gently of course, and when I was about to leave the room, a sparkling object caught my eye. It had been staring at me all along from the coffee table. I couldn’t have been more blind.”
Frost’s intense look did not falter. “What was it?”
“It was a diamond earring. Only the stud, the catch behind it was missing.”
“And what’s so special about this earring?” said Frost as he narrowed his eyes, staring at Darrow.
“And so I was wondering. Why would Harvey Nolan have a diamond earring in his office? It is not like he had a girlfriend or a wife.” Continued Darrow, “at least according to our background checks.”
Frost held out a red ballpoint pen and started to chew on the back of it. He could not see what Special Agent Darrow was driving at. “So?”
“The boys end up not finding anything useful from Miss Jamison’s desk. So I headed to the Mortuary to follow up on the dead body of the missing girl the local authorities found. They haven’t got down to cleaning the body yet, it was still in the body bag when I got there.” Darrow said, his tone quickening. “And guess what, the other earring just stared at me from Charlotte Jones’ ear.”
Frost stopped chewing his pen. His eyes widened ever so slightly. “Who? The dead girl?”
“Yeah, it was the exact earring I had found in Harvey’s office, they were a pair, except this one was still in Jones’ ear lobe.” Replied Darrow.
“Jesus Christ. What are the chances?” exclaimed Frost, his pen now back on his desk.
“I know. I even took a photograph of them side by side, look.” Darrow said as he fished out his cellphone and swiped on it. He opened the Photos folder and found the right photograph. He passed his phone to his superior.
“I never thought I would say this but, looks like you hit the jackpot, Darrow.”
Detective Frost stood up from his seat and put on his brown coat.
“Call the Mortuary, tell them not to touch the body.”
“Already did that, Sir.”
He grabbed his keys and cellphone off the table, and walked toward his office door.
“Come on Darrow, ass off the chair. It is about time to bring Harvey Nolan back for some proper questioning.”
Chapter 32
“YOU WOULDN’T DARE.” Said Francis in an amazingly calm tone. Billy Coke had his hands in the air as soon as he saw the gun. He wasn’t going to risk his life running.
“Try me, you’ll just be another dirty drug peddler dead on the streets.” Replied Katie, her resolve in her voice absolute as she approached the two men. Her eyes were like those of a wolf’s, while it circled its prey. Her hand firm as a rock as she pointed her gun at Francis and yelled. “Put your hands up right now!”
Francis slowly raised his hands above his head with the look of reluctance in his face. He looked like he was going to put up a fight but it didn’t materialize. He didn’t had the guts after all.
“You, man in that ridiculous looking Hawaiian shirt. Drop the crack and get lost.” Said Katie, not losing her eye contact with Francis.
“Who? Me? I can go now? Geez what’s this about?” replied Billy Coke as he slowly dropped his hands. “Can I at least keep the coke, I paid for it.”
“I said piss off!” said Katie, a little louder this time with an emphasis on the last two words with a gun momentarily pointing at Billy but her eye contact still fixated upon Francis. Billy dropped the packet of white powder and ran. He did not look back.
Harvey stepped out from the dark and joined Katie by her side, he dragged Doug along and deposited him on the other side.
“You ratted me out?” Francis asked, the lines on his face deepened as he spoke.
“She had a gun, man. And a badge.” Replied Doug, not raising his eyes to meet Francis’.
Harvey put his hand on Katie’s gun and applied pressure on top of it, trying to lower it.
“Harvey, no.” said Katie.
Harvey shook his head at Katie and continued lower the gun. Katie breathed a sigh and slowly lowered her gun. Francis retaliated with his hands lowering. Harvey turned his attention back to Francis.
“White. Why are you doing all these?”
“Because of the money, duh.” Argued Francis. He did not look like he was planning to escape anymore “I don’t come from a rich family, where else am I going to get money from? It’s tough being poor you know.”
“You could find a job. Like most regular people do?” retorted Harvey naively.
Francis chuckled. “And work for minimum wages, ten hours a day? No thank you. I rather take my chances on the streets.”
“Does your sister know about this?” said Harvey, his eyebrows tightened at the incorrigibility of his student.
“No, she doesn’t.” Francis said, his expression softened at the mention of his sister’s name. “John knew though.”
“What? What has John got to do with this?”
“Many weeks back, when he was still alive. He bumped into me on the outskirts of the Hill, while he was driving in his car. No idea what he was doing in the vicinity but he followed me, and caught me in the act, just like you did.”
“I figured he didn’t call the cops on you, did he?” concluded Harvey. “He was a family man through and through. He loved his family more than anything, and that included you.”
Francis closed his eyes and pressed his nose bridge with his hands. “He wanted to, but he did not. He said he wanted to give me a chance, to stop on my own whatever I was doing.” Francis said, convincing himself as he spoke. “He wanted me to stop making the load of money I was making, way more than he was doing that stupid lab job.”
He paused for a moment, recalling his memories before he continued. “I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t stop. The Captain wouldn’t have let me anyway. And he threatened to call the cops on me, so I said I would stop, but I lied.”
“I went to the Captain to ask for help.” He whimpered. “And next thing I knew, John’s car was crushed by an eighteen wheeler on the highway. The police never suspected foul play, but I knew that the Captain was behind it. I knew h
e was the one behind John’s death. I was the one who killed John.”
“How could you? He was your sister’s husband, he was your family.” Said Katie, her arms now completely slacked. She holstered her gun and continued to look mad with what Francis did.
“I didn’t know he would kill John, I swear to God. I wouldn’t have told him if I knew he was capable to doing that. I never would have.” Pleaded Francis, tears sipping from the gaps between his fingers.
“Do you know anything about the Captain? Anything about his operations? This applies to you too, Doug.” Continued Harvey.
Doug shook his head dim-wittedly.
“We have never seen him without his mask, he was always the first to arrive wherever we set up a meeting. He would send one of his kids to pass a message whenever he wants to meet, we have no real means of contacting him.” Said Doug. He then looked up as if he was recollecting a certain detail. After which, his eyes widened considerably at a revelation. “Oh wait, he smokes Lucky Strikes!”
Harvey took a mental note of that detail. “I suspect he’s got something to do with your sister’s disappearance, Francis. A drug syndicate has been actively kidnapping young American woman and using them as drug mules. I have a bad feeling your sister might be a victim of it.”
Francis wiped his eyes dry. “We know nothing about his operation, where he gets his stuff from? How he transports them? He is like a ghost.” He averted Harvey’s gaze by looking at Doug. “It is all your fault Doug, why the hell did you introduce us in the first place? It’s all your bloody fault.”
“How did you know him anyway, Doug?” questioned Katie.
“He was introduced by a friend who did some peddling for him before, said his stuff were pure, good quality, he made a killing selling it.” Doug said, slightly proud of himself. His imbecilic face then took a turn for one of befuddlement. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him in a long time.”
“You dumb ass, you got us into some deep shit–” said Francis as he tried to launch himself at his former partner in crime.
“Break it up. You boys can fight in prison all you want.” Katie said, standing between the two of them. “You’re gonna spend more than a weekend or two in it anyway.”
“I’m sorry, Christina, I really am. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t mean to.” Whimpered Francis.
Katie took out her cellphone and started dialing on it. She then turned her attention to Harvey while it was connecting and said, “Harvey, I think it is best you head back for the day. I’ll get the local authorities to bring them in.”
“Hello this is 9-1-1, how may I assist you, Mdm?”
Chapter 33
SHIA JAMISON HAD never felt more humiliated in her life. It was the first time she had a man forced himself on her. She had never understood the depression her neighbor’s youngest daughter had fallen into when she was raped by her then boyfriend neither did she ever imagined she would. But she thinks she does now. She struggled to pick herself up from the ground where the ugly bald man had thrown her down on but found her legs unwilling to conform to her commands, where streaks of blood stained the side of them. She felt a pair of weak hands help her up as they both stumbled around trying to find their balance.
“Shia. Take it easy. Don’t move too much, you will make it worse.” Said Miranda as she placed her arms around the newest addition to their underground holding cell.
“That man is going to regret the day he was born if I ever find myself free from this hell hole.” Shia whimpered, the pain starting to become unbearable. She sat back down on the cold concrete floor. “I’ll make sure my face is the last one he will see.”
A voice echoed her sentiments from the opposite side from where she was across the outside of her cell. “I’m sure we all would do that without battling an eyelash.” Said Christina as she approached the bars of her own cell. “Join the queue. But I ensure you it is only a matter of time.”
“Shut up!” cried the bald man from the far end of the dungeon.
Christina lowered her voice but continued to speak nonetheless. “Just make sure you keep yourself alive. And don’t give up hope. Never do.” She rotated her neck till she was glancing at the sleeping body of Samantha. It did rose ever so slightly as she breathed but did not move otherwise.
Miranda joined Shia by her side on the floor, squishing her eyes when her bottom touched the cold concrete. “That’s Christina by the way, she was here right before you.”
Shia gazed toward Christina under the low orange glow, she could not make out the features of her face. “Christina Jenson?! Heavens be damned, what are you doing here?”
“Shia Jamison?” cried Christina as she perked up at the recognition of her friend, putting her face as close between the bars as she could. “You were the new girl who was thrown in last night? What kind of cruel joke is this God is playing on us?”
“You know each other?” asked Miranda with an astonished look on her face.
“We used to work with each other, in the same office at Columbia University. She took over my position when I left.” Christina said, still surprised from the strange twist. She resumed her attention on Shia. “How did you end up here? Were you kidnapped by the bald man with the scar as well?”
“I don’t exactly know.” Shia replied. A frown started to form on her sweat drenched face. She was still in a lot of pain. “Long story short, I think I was hypnotized. I don’t remember anything.”
“Have you seen Harvey? Does he know I got kidnapped?”
“From what I gathered, your mother reported your disappearance and some FBI officers came knocking on Harvey’s door to ask for information. They didn’t seem like they were very enthusiastic about it though. Left after a while.” Shia said. “Harvey did ask me for some personal information regarding you which I did provided him with. I’m sure he doing something somehow.”
“Thank god, Harvey. Thank god. Please. Don’t give up on us.” Prayed Christina, a look of relief registered on her face.
“One of the FBI officers had a look on his face that showed that he didn’t quite trust Professor Nolan though.” Shia said. “I do hope they don’t focus on the wrong person with their investigations.”
“We only can hope for the best for now. I do not want to end up like Charlotte. I want to feel the sunlight on my face again.” Whispered Christina.
“Who’s Charlotte?”
“She was my cellmate before you. She fell very ill and was taken away by that ugly looking creature. We haven’t seen her since.” Miranda added, a look of despair filled her once comely face. “We fear that she has been killed.”
Shia Jamison felt a scream dying to rush out from the bottom of her lungs but consciously suppressed it. She did not want to die in this god forsaken place. Christina could tell that Shia was on the verge of freaking out by the look on her face. She tried to console her but found it hard in her heart to totally believe herself as well.
“Shia, Miranda. Do not be frightened in the face of evil. I promise we will get out of here alive. I promise.”
Chapter 34
THE MECHANISM OF the door twisted halfway with an unoiled resistance which had the key in the keyhole stuck for a second before it relented and slid into place. He swore to oil the lock on the door three months ago but just never got about doing it. It had been tormenting him ever since. He fear the key would break every time he used a little more force turning it to unlock the door. It had not failed him yet. Harvey cursed inwardly as he pulled out the key from the keyhole, its purpose spent, and hooked it on the black and white Schnauzer key ring holder on the wall by habit. He stepped into the doorway of his apartment, feeling the sense of contentedness as he breathed in the smell that was his house for the last three years. He closed the door behind him, not bothering to latch the chain bolt that was swinging from the door. He always left it loose, for one confidant that his neighbors were decent folks, and two convinced that it didn’t help much in the security of his home. He h
ad not been proven wrong yet, on the former. He pulled off his oxford penny loafers before stepping into his bedroom, he always likes the feeling of the cold marble floor on the sole of his feet. He dropped his jacket on his bed and proceeded to unbuckle his trousers, the anticipation of a nice hot shower motivated his efficiency in stripping his clothes. The sweater and shirt quickly ended up on the floor as Harvey sauntered into the bathroom. He turned on the shower to an unbearably hot temperature before braving it with his body. The streaming hot water intruded his nerves and the fatigue from the past twenty-four hours melted along with the water into the drainage. He kneaded his face with the palm of his hands under the hot water as he thought about the insanity that was his day.
I’m back to square one.
Harvey thought as he relaxed from the heat of the water. He had initially thought that he was on to something that narrowed the gap between him and Christina but even though it had involved her brother, he was nowhere near where he was the morning before. He was neither near finding Christina, nor did he find any new clues that brought him closer to his goal. He felt a deep sense of remorse, dispirited with himself that he could not have done anything more to help a friend.
Harvey stepped out of his overly hot shower and dried himself with the tower he had brought in before the shower. He wrapped the fluffy white cloth around his taunt hips and walked out of his bedroom, trampling over his worn clothes, feeling a little hungry from the long night without food. He headed straight to the kitchen where he had left the bag of spiced shawarma chicken wrap he had bought from the joint near his neighborhood on his way back home. The smell of the spices from the grilled chicken as he unwrapped the paper reminded him of curry. He bit a huge mouthful of the sweet and savory chicken wrap, tasting the crunch of the lettuce and tangy cucumber yogurt that came along with it. He was in the midst of enjoying his breakfast when the ring of the doorbell resonated through his doorway. The first rays of the morning sun had just emerged from the horizon. Harvey scowled as he unwillingly put down the delicious wrap on the counter.
